The University of Georgia headed south on Monday and they didn't travel that far just for the fun of it. Mark Richt and four other UGA coaches visited Valdosta High School to check on junior Michael Gillard and they offered him before leaving one of the most historic programs in the country.

"Coach Richt, Coach Bobo, Coach Martinez and Coach Jancek came down to my school Monday around 2pm," said Gillard. "They stood in the weight room and watched me lift weights for a while when they got there."

"After I finished lifting, I broke the guys down and Coach [Rick] Tomberlin (Valdosta Head Coach) told me he had a surprise for me. He told me Georgia offered me a scholarship. He told me that Coach Martinez said he wants me to be a Bulldog and that Coach Jancek said he wants me to wear red and black."

Illinois and Middle Tennessee State offered first, so the UGA offer is the third for Gillard and this is one he has been hoping for, for a long time.

"It felt crazy when Coach 'T' told me about the offer," he admitted. "I mean it is UGA - I grew up watching Georgia all my life and getting an offer from them is like a dream come true."

The Bulldog offer moved them up to the top of the 6-foot-3, 205-pound Valdosta native's list.

"They are number one now for sure," he said with excitement. "I have grown up a fan of Georgia and that is a school I have always wanted to play for. There are a lot of Georgia fans in Valdosta, so I always have heard about them and I have been following them for a long time. They are number one on my list now."